Metal roll forming machine



May 1, 1945. K. BREUER 2,374,802

METAL ROLL FORMING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1' 6 2 2 1'15 3 I15 2 1 LNT UR K. EiFKELJ-ER ATT'URNtlj E May 1, 1945. K. BREUER METAL ROLL FORMING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 18, 1942 INVLNTEIR BY I/ .EF\ELIER. ATTD N525 Patented May 1, 1945 METAL Roiii FoIt INGMKom Karl-Breuer,- Tdionto, ontanog oaiiaaa r Application Mai-ch 1s; 1942;seria1iiwaiiissiesi 21" Claims. (Cl. 80 -34) This inveiitiom-relates to'metal roll forming machines' and' morepartioularly to a unit for'usei in-conj'un'ctiori-therewith.-

In mt'al rolling machines employing horizon; tally disposedirollers for shaping metal-passed therebetween, it hasbeen usual-to erhpldysidewpressure rollers di'sposed on a vertical axis for-en'- gaging'the material fromthe sides as it is passed or before or -afterit is passed throughthea'hori-izontal rollers" to shape the-metal according to 'zlQ specific requirements. In the past it has-been usual' to mou'nt the side pressure rolls on the r: laterally spaced apart vertically extending bear?- ing" supports" for the horizontarrolls. This has" required that these bearing supports bespecially 15*?= designed and constr-ucted to" receive mountings"; forth'e side ipr'essure rolls. Moreover; 'these's'up- Ports must then each carry" side -pr'essur" rolls or. such rolls would have-tobe demountedand t'rans ferred and remouzited from "one i pair of bearing zotta supportsto another as the necessity arose. of course; is disadvantageous because'it involves eithera large number of "parts or considerable work' in transferring azid deinounting and re mounting pa r-ts; On" the othei" hand; mouhtifigs i have a. particular di'sadvant'alg to-the -fafit that" it is difficult to adjust th pres'suie ro11s vertieally upwardly oruownwami in such a "-str ueture' and in -fact' to -pmvi-defo such an adjustment would require either a u ber'soine st-ructui'eor a cumbersome" adjusting operating A further method of mounting thsicle pfessuie rolls has ben" to' provide' a special mountin'g ba's'e between adjacent airs of roller assemblies in which the pairs of verticall'y xtehdinbearing supports for such assemblies are-'- spaoed -apart longitudinally 0f the? machine 4 to" 5 pe'iniit the' mounting of such ba'se. In' 'this oase; "the rol1ersusuallyprojeot upwa idlj from the ba'se on VertiCa1' spindles and are-employed for applying a limited side prssure; in which operationthe side pressure rolls--are not used' directly in boiiibin'atiorP v/ith the" horizontal pressure "ro11" -'assemb1i'es. Such structures; therefore} are not 'eapable or th'e 'applicatiom of a desired degree 'of side' pressur' or? a heaily pressing operation and are not a'pa ble of longitudinal adjustment on' the" -maehi'rie in relation *to" the horiiontal roller assemblies" to l perform side pressure-operations arwarmusaoca tions asrequired apart from thefaet that the'y take upsp'ace'inthe' maohinewhioh is notnees' saryi a 'I'he'se' 'di'sadvantages may he"avoided byilprb W viding w'a' =unit' 'inorporatin'g *side pressure-irons" which may be employed independently 0f--:t her bearing supports referred tmandthrough "which greater flexibility-iofioperat-ion may be attained.

It is, therefore; anoloJ'ect'ofthe:preserit inven 'tiont0- avoid the: disadvantages -01, prior-practice and to'produce a unitrem-body-ing side-pressure rollswhioh maybe transferred tolan'ya-position on the machine-to operate'rinwQniunctionewithwany given pair or pairs of horizontally-disposed-pres-- sure rolls andwwhich will-not takeiwupcanya more space than-is --norma1-1-y available-throughout: the lengthof the machinewa v 1 A further object .of the :inveritionis-to produce a such a. unit-which provides?amindependent-modnt+ EilIg' TOI: the" side pressure rolls and whifolrwmas'lr,

function" independently "of the -:'bearing ?suppo'rts ofrtheihorizontal'rolls of themachine-andizotherz parts ofsubh'aassemblies'xf 3 r i A furtheriobjecfiofr-theiinvention is toprovide funit ofrthi's character 1 through :which the, out-e ward1y--direoted vstrainimposed by T thee-pressure ro11s1 is -;n0tdirected='on' "the bearing" supportsr-v A stillv further :obj'ectFof the} invention is 'to pmvidera unit-ofthe =characterreferred to whichcmaybe-readily-adjusted both verticallyupwardly?- and downwardly and horizontally inwardly :an'd w outwardly; "in-"a 'relativelyr:simplemamer.

A. still further object-of the invention is topr'oi vide-a =unit2of1=this'characterfwhicli is-generally1i== *simplevinrconstruction andz'which ma'ylbe eflic a I ient1ymou-nt'ed {in the machine? in 'a ,simpleman-i ner: l p

With these: and other objects in view, the: 1-in- 2 ention Igenerally comprises *a supporting :iunit: "carrying rs ide' 'pres'sure rolls: "or: elements E; ini op-1" posed spaced apart relation *from-loner"anotheni' and desi'gried=-:to engage'vmaterial passing throug'h I thee'roll forming machine," said 2111111)? being-bodily, remoiiable 'relatively to units tof' 'th'e Troll forming machine to lcooperate with different roller assem; 1 blies thereoffi Preferably 'the unit includes-means for adjusting the rolls verticallywupwardlyr or: downwardly and horizontally: towards and away from One; another; -'and also means for -adiusting. 'said"elementssoithat they may be disposed-at an: incline-mo their normally vertically disposed axes.-' The :uniti preferably :mounted from? the bed ofthe machine andmaintained-in position :by its-own weight-tand m conjunctionwith simplelmeansa'for preventingshiftingvmovenientPof the unitwherea movement might takewplace un'derW-influe'nce :of; the metal passing-through the-machine and acted' -rupon by Sammie. v 1 I 1 1 i. i

The invehtion=ewilkvbei elearlyiq-understood rhyr: refereiioe rtd 'the followinghdetailed specification.

clarity.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view 'of the unit as a 1 whole.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the unit shown in conjunction with a pair of horizontally disposed pressure, rolls mounted in conventional hearing supports.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through 1 the bearing supports of a pair of horizontally disposed pressure rolls in arolling mill illustratly upwardly or downwardly since by reason of the ing the horizontally disposed pressure rolls and.

the mounting and disposition of the side pressure 1 rolls according to the present invention. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a unit according to 1 the present invention mounted between a pair of bearing supports for a pair of horizontally disposed pressure rolls with the upper of said horizontally disposed rolls removed for the sake of Fig.5 is a Fig. 6 is aperspective detail partly insection transverse section taken through i the assembly shown in Fig. 2 inorder to illus- 1 trate parts of the structure more clearly,

of one form of means which mightbe employed for retaining theunit of the present invention from movement under influence of the movement I of the metal being shaped; and

Fig. '7 is-a side elevation of'part of the rolling r mill bed showing alternative means for maintaining the unit from movement in respect to 1 its normal position of mounting.

Referring to the drawingsyA indicates the unity as a whole which in the preferred form includes side members. The side members lll and l I may take any desirable form and as here shown are formed with enlarged portions l3 to receive 1 therethrough upper and lower connecting rods l4 and I5 respectively which .passthrou'g'h the a pair of side members In and Il designed to sup--; port side pressure rollers B which are rotatably.

mounted in suitable transverse slots l2 in the l zontally spaced apart opposed relation to one an other. This frame is suitably supported by means of standards C which passthrough the ends of the side members It and H and are secured on the upper side of thesemembers. by nuts I! and on the lower side by nuts l8, thereduced upper 3 Thus, by suitably manipulating nuts I] and I8 of 1 each standard, the side members liland H may end 19 of these standards. being screw-threaded.

be adjusted, upwardly or downwardly on these standards. Likewise, by adjusting the nuts [6 on" 1 the pairs of connecting rods I4 and I5, the side members I0 and II may be adjusted horizontally 1 inwardly or outwardly.

I preferably provide enlarged bores 20 the side members l0 and II forthe passage'of the connecting rods l4 and 15 so that by tightening the adjusting nuts on the rods Hi to a greater extent than those on the rods l5, the side 'members may be tilted so that theside pressure rollers B may incline downwardlytowards each othera By reversing this adjustment and tightening the nuts on the rods l5 to a greater extent than those I on the rods M, .the side pressure rollers maybe I caused to tilt upwardly and towards each other. In this connection it will be appreciated also that i the rolls B are independently.adjustable vertical enlarged bores 20 the side member ID may be disposed at a higher elevation than the side member and vice versa. As a whole, therefore, the simple unit is capable'of adjustment in various ways and in a simple manner.

In Figs. 2 to 5 the unit is shown disposed in position to cooperate with thehorizontally disposed pressure rollers '24 and 22 carried on the horizontal shafts 23 and which are journalled in the vertically extending bearing supports 25. These supports may be constructed in an extremely simple form merely including a slot 26 at their upper ends to carry the bearings 21 in vertically slidable relation controlled by suitable screws 28. Thus, to mount the unit A in association with the rollers 2| itis only necessary -'to remove the upper horizontal roller 2| and to cause the unit to straddle the lower roller 22 and shaft 24, the unit being supported readily by the standards C. The said pressure rollers Bare then disposed on each side of thehorizontal pressure rollers 2! and they. may-bedisposed forwardly or rearwardly of the rollers 2| and 22 or directly alongside of them merely byshifting the unit on the bed plate of the mill. I i

The unit is, of course, held from slidingmove-v ment along the bed plate of the machine in any 7 rection of its travel, a means of offsetting such tendency is necessary. This may beaccomplished in several ways. For instance, the. unit disclosed in Fig. 1 includes laterally projecting arms 29 projecting from the side members at one end thereof. These arms are designed to project be-' yond the sides of the verticalbearing supports.2.5..

Thus, by mountin in these projectingarms an adjusting screw 30, the end of which is designed to abut against one side of the bearing supports,

the unitA may be held from sliding movement. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the-adjusting screws 30 form a means of adjusting the unit relatively to the vrollers 2| and 22 so thatthe side pressure rollers B may be disposed in variouspositions as above referred to withrespect to the rolls 2| and 22.

This is a very important feature as it permits very fine adjustment of the side rolls to position them accurately to a fine degree in relation to the horizontal rolls, which fine adjustmentls necessary in various instances to overcomedefects in the rolling operation. I a i Instead of employing the bearing supports 25 as a means for preventing movement of the unit A, a separate means may be provided such as; in the case where the bearing supports mighti e widely spaced apart so as not-to be available for this purpose as above described; In this instance a retaining member 3| (see Fig. 6) may be pro: vided as shown. This includes a base plate 32- with spaced'apart upwardly. projecting posts: 33. The plate may be bolted or otherwise secured to the bed of the mill and the upwardly projecting posts cooperate with the adjusting screws 30 or the unitA in the same 'manner as the bearing on projecting bolts or the likeassociated, with the side members Ill and II." Inthis instance,

the projecting ends of bolts. H and I5 might be employed. The arms 34may be provided With'a hook-like extremity 36fdesigned to enter one-of the channels- 37 normally provided in the rolling mill 'bed and to engage one edge" thereof. The 5 arm 34 maybe suitably orificed 'as at 38 through which "the arms may be'adju'sted relatively of the unit. A thus providing for positioning" of the unit at various desired pointsirelativelyto the rolls carried by the bearing 81113130115125. Inaddition,"

a secondsetof arms 39may be'provided' extend ing generally in"'the'."opposite' direction to arms 34 "and entering into another channel 31 i of the. bed plate of the mill.. These arms might be ad:

justed similarly to the arms-34; Alternatively either the arms '34" or the arm's"39' maybe' em plo'yed: I

The 'unit provided by "the present invention may be used *with particular facility "to 'acco m-' plish various" operations and without the necessity of employing cumbersome adjusting'lstruc tures. The'sid'e pressurerolls are employed main ly in"'cooperationwith' the horizontally"disposed pressure'rolls which exert a vertically directed 7 pressure upon the'material'passing therebetween'. 2

It should 'be' noted, however, that the unit'does not always function with the horizontallyfldis posed. pressure rolls since in shaping metal to certaincontours it may be desirable to eliminate in certain units'actualuse of thehorizontal pres sure rolls and to substitute in cooperation'with the unit a mandrel or other device or devices cooperating with the side pressure" rolls for. producing thefinal desired shape.

The side pressure rollson the wholefunction to" effect a horizontally applied pressure or pressure directed at an angle'between the" horizontal and vertical, thus, cooperating in forming the material into a predetermined shape. This pressurem'ay' be exerted at a predetermined hori- 40' zontal plane having regard to the fact that the side members may be adjusted vertically, up-' wardlyor downwardly and such pressure -may also be'applied at predetermined similar or dif; ferent points. spaced apart horizontally, by,reason of the'adjustment of the sidelmembers to-. wards r and away from eachlother either inde pendently or together. Moreover, pressure may be applied in predetermined, differentlhorizontal 1 planes at the same .time. by. reason .of-Pthe fact that the side member ltl'may be'disposed at-a difierent level to the side'member I l'orvice versa, since each side member. is independently adjustable vertically. Finally, adjustment may be effected by way of the connecting rodsf l4 and l5'in such a way that the tightening nuts 16 on the rods I4 may be tightened to a degree greater than that on the rods [5 or vice versa, to cause the side memberstoincline downwardly other so. as to cause the sidepressure rollers B to exert a pressure atan angle between thehorizontal and vertical.

From the pointof view of adjustment it will be seenthat the unit providesfor diversified use in a simple'waybut apart from this it simplifies a number of problems in respect to the mountins of the side pressure rolls .aswill readily be appreciatech So'far astthe. bearingsupports 25- are concernedit is apparentthat the unit relieves may be 'constructe'd' economicallyto-withstandany appreciable strain: Furthermore; it will e appreciated that "the unit of-the present invert-=- tion provides for -a wide*-'degree-' ofadjustment"- is not possible" in' thei case-where the rolls are 'mount'ed as wasthe practice in the prior arts It is also apparent that the unit may beshifted from one position to anotheron the 'machine i n a verysimple-manner so that" it may be --operated at that -point=onthe machine where it is desired;- without it-beingwnecessary to provide special fit tings on the bearing supports:

While 1 the side pressure "rolls B are normally employedfo'r sidepressure operations it will be" appreciated thatinstead of these'rolls pressure shoes-"or guide members might be employed-.1 In the following claims, therefore; the term side pressure elements is employed which is designedto define rolls or otherpressure members that" might be employed;

What I claim 'as' my-invention is:

1. Thecombination with a roll forming ma chine having horizontalpressure' rolls and "supports for mounting said rolls; of [a unit including vertically disposed side pressure elements; d'e signed to engage metal passing through said horizontal rolls, including means-for positioning said" side pressure elements directly *adjacentto the nip'of said horizontal'rollsand flanking thelat ter in cooperative relation therewith,- and-finde pendently of the supporting means for said hori-f 'zontal' rolls, saidtertical elements being positioned in horizontally spaced relation to one an other and in spaced apart relation'tothe bed of the machine; "said unit'beingbodily removable relatively to'the machinewhereby said unit may be disposed to cooperate'with any selected rollerassemblies thereof.

is provided for adjusting said side pressure elementstowairdsand away from each other.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1 in which the side pressure elements are adjustable horizontal- 1y; vertically and at an angle to the horizontal and vertical;

45A unit'asclaimed'in claim 1 in which means "isprovided in connection with said unit for anchoring" said unit against shifting movement" on the machine, said means including adjusting means whereby said unit may be adjustedtopm sition the'side pressure elements in spaced rela "tion'to the roller assemblies in adire'ction at right angles'to their normal axes.

5. A unit for use in roll forming'machines and 5 the like for supporting and positioning side pres-.- sure elements in relation to horizontal roller 'astowards. each other or upwardly.- towards each 60:

sembli'es or the machine and designed. to engage T metal passing through the horizontal rollers,

comprising supporting means for the side pressure"e1ementsfor disposing saidelements'in ope posed horizontally spaced apart relation to one 'anoth'er'directly adjacent to the trip of said new. zontal rolls and independently of the -mounting Y for said horizontal rolls, means for adjusting said". supports horizontally towards and away from one another, means for adjustingsaid supports vertically'upwardlyand downwardly,. and means for mountingsaidsupports in vertically spaced relation to the bed of the mill, said unit being bodily. removable relatively to the machine whereby said unit may be disposed to cooperatewithany select-V ed rollef' assemblies thereof.

support independently of the other.

1 independently of the 6. A unit. as claimed in claim .5 in which a means for adjusting the supports horizontally includes means for adjusting each support independently of the other and in which means for adjusting said supports vertically upwardly and downwardly includes means for adjusting each '7. A unit as claimed in claim 5 in which means is provided for adjusting said supports at an angle to the vertical and horizontal to dispose said side pressure members at an incline.

8. A unit as claimed in claim 5 in which means is provided for securing the unit against shifting movement in the direction of movement of the metal engaged by said elements.

9. A unit for use in roll forming machines and the like for supporting and positioning side pressure elements in relation to horizontal roller assemblies of the machine and designed to engage metal passing through the mill; comprising supporting means for the side pressure elements for disposing said elements in opposed horizontally spaced apart relation to one another directly adjacent to the nip of said horizontal rolls and mounting of the latter, pairs of upper and lower rods connecting said supports to form a framework, means in connection with said rods for adjusting said supports towards and away from each other, means for mounting said framework in spacedapart relation to the 1 .machine, said supporting means positioning the mounting saidsupporting means from the bed of the machine in slidable bearing engagement therewith and independently of other parts of the side pressure elements in horizontally spaced apart relation to one another, means for adjusting said side pressure elements towards and away from each other, and means in connection with said unit for engaging other parts of the machine for retaining said unit against shifting movement, said unit being bodily removable relatively to the machine whereby said unitmay be disposed to cooperate with selected'roller assemblies thereof. I

15. A unit for use in roll forming machines and the like for supporting and positioning side pressure elements designed to engage metal passing through the machine and to cooperate with roller assemblies thereof, comprising supporting means for the side pressure elements, adjustable means for mounting saidsupporting means from I the bed of the machine, said unit being mountbed of the mill, and means in connection with I said mounting meansfor adjusting said supports 1 in vertically spaced relation to the bed of the mill.

10. A unit as claimed in claim 9 in which the horizontal and vertical direction.

11. A unit as claimed in claim 9 in which the supports are formed with bores through which said rods are designed to pass, the bores being of a diameter larger than the diameter of the rods whereby upon adjustment of the adjusting means of.one pair of rods to a greater extent than the other pair of rods will cause said supports to tilt at an angle.

12. A unit for use in roll forming machines and the like for supporting and positioning side pressure elements designed to engage metal passing through the machine comprising supporting means for the side pressure elements for disposing said elements in opposed horizontally spaced apart relation to one another, pairs of upper and lower rods connecting said supports to form a framework, means in connection with said'rods for adjusting said supports towards and away from each other, means for mounting said frame-j work in slidable bearing engagement with the bed of the machine and in spaced apart relation thereto, means in connection with said mounting means for adjusting said supports in vertically.

able between supports for said roller assemblies and independently thereof to dispose said pressure elements directly adjacent to the nip of the roller assemblies, said supporting means positioning the side pressure elements in horizontally spaced apart relation'to one another, said unit being bodily removable relatively to the machine whereby said unit may bev disposed to cooperate with selected roller assemblies thereof.

16. A unit for use in roll forming machines and the like for supporting and positioning side pressure elements designed to engage metal passing through the machine and to. cooperate with roller assemblies thereof, comprising supporting means for the side pressure elements, means for mounting the supporting means in spaced relation to the bed of the machine in slidable bearing engagement therewith, said supporting means positioning the side pressure elements in horizontally spaced apart relation to one another, said unit being bodily removable relatively to the machine whereby said unit maybe disposed to cooperate with selected roller assemblies thereof, and means in connection with said 'unit extending between the latter and the machine for anchoring the unit against shifting movement on the machine.

17. A unit as claimed in claim 16 in which the supporting means is provided with laterally pro.- jecting members engageable with upwardly projecting parts of the machine to anchor said unit against shifting movement..-

18. A unit as claimed inclaim 16 in which an anchoring member is provided connected with the bed of said machine and having an upwardly extending structure to engage said unit to prevent shifting movement of the latter on the machine. I 19. A unit as claimed in claim 16 in which conspaced relation to the bed of the machine, and

means connected with said framework-for en gaging parts of the machine for'retaining said unit against shifting movement.

13. A unit as claimed in claim 12 in which the means for preventing shifting movement of the unit includes adjusting means to position said ,unit in a selected relation to other parts of the necting means is fastened to the unit and designed to connect with a portion of the machine to prevent shifting movement of said unit on said machine.

20. A unit as claimed in claim 16 in which the means for anchoring the unit against movement is adjustable to adjust the position of the side pressure elements relative to the roller assemblies of the machine in a direction at right angles to the axes of said roller assemblies.

21, A unit for use in a roll forming machine and the'like for supporting and positioning side pressure elements designed to engage metal ,passing through the machine including an assembly for deforming the metal in predetermined mam unit being bodily removable relatively to the machine whereby said unit may be disposed to cooperate with selected deforming assemblies thereof and means for anchoring the unit against shifting movement relatively to the bed of the a machine.

KARL BREUER. 

